


Moonlight Serenade

by Doughnut_Holschtein, ladylindaaa



Category: Nancy - Fandom, Nancy Drew (Video Games), Nancy Drew - Carolyn Keene, Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys Super Mysteries - Franklin W. Dixon & Carolyn Keene
Genre: F/M, Halloween, Nancy x Frank, bucket, francy - Freeform, nancy x bucket
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:01:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27312286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Doughnut_Holschtein/pseuds/Doughnut_Holschtein, https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladylindaaa/pseuds/ladylindaaa
Summary: It’s Halloween night and Bess has invited everyone to the River Heights Halloween Party, which she helped with. With Nancy, Bess, George, and the Hardy Boys, anything can happen, from shenanigans to romance.
Relationships: Nancy Drew/Bucket, Nancy Drew/Frank Hardy
Comments: 8
Kudos: 13





	Moonlight Serenade

“Which one?”

“Uh… They look the same to me.” George returned to straightening the corset of her pirate costume.

“No, they are not the same,” Bess said with an eye roll. “One is matte. The other is more of a satin finish. Can’t you see how this one sparkles a bit when I hold it up in the light?”

George responded with a blank stare.

“You don’t see it, do you?”

“Nope.”

Nancy chuckled to herself as she watched Bess educate George on the basics of lipstick. As George had said, the two lipsticks did indeed look the same, but Bess was not going to be satisfied until someone gave her the answer she was secretly hoping for.

Deirdre finished her eyeshadow look in the mirror and looked over at Bess’s options. “I think the glossy one would give a more ‘Old Hollywood’ vibe.”

“See!” Bess said, turning back to George, “At least _someone_ knows what they’re talking about!”

Deirdre was right; the moment she put on the lipstick, it really sold the look. Bess’s costume was intricate and ornate. In true Bess fashion, she was head to toe in sparkles. “Movie star princess” is what she insisted on calling the costume. She couldn’t decide if she wanted to wear a feather boa or a tiara, so she went with both. 

“Where’s your costume, Drew? We’re gonna be late,” Deirdre pointed out, with only a subtle smile escaping past her snarky tone. Luckily, Nancy had learned to read between the lines of Deirdre’s attitude. 

“I’m gonna go put it on right now, actually! I should only be a second.” Nancy made everyone squish together so she could open the door of her cramped bathroom. The smell of perfume and hairspray followed her into the hallway as she walked over to her bedroom. Whenever the girls came over to get ready for an event, Nancy’s room looked like it got hit by a tornado; makeup, clothes, and shoes were strewn about on just about every surface. She carefully navigated through the landmine of purses to get to her costume on the other side of the room. 

Nancy had always been a fan of classic black and white films. Her parents loved them and passed that love onto Nancy. Of course, _Casablanca_ was her favorite, so when she saw a nice vintage, 1940s style dress hanging on a rack in a thrift shop, she knew that she’d be going as Ilsa Lund for Halloween. The dress itself wasn’t exactly like hers in the movie, but when she added the hat and the jacket to the outfit, who she was portraying was unmistakable. That is, if you’ve seen the film. 

As she squeezed her way back into the bathroom, Deirdre turned toward Nancy and gave her a strange look. “Who are you supposed to be again?”

“Ilsa Lund,” she said, swishing the skirt of the trench coat. “From _Casablanca_.”

“Oh!” Bess saw the costume and her eyes lit up. “You look so cute, Nancy!”

George nodded and smiled, agreeing in silence and returning to use a compact of old, cracked bronzer to add a pirate-style tan to her arms.

“ _Casablanca_ is my favorite old movie, so I figured… Might as well.”

After finishing her third layer of bronzer, George started to use Bess’s hand-me-down blush from freshman year to give herself “realistic” sunburns. As she stared at herself in the mirror, she finally said to Nancy, “You look great! You chose a costume with minimal preparation. Which was a good plan. I still have to do my eyeliner and I’m rapidly losing motivation.”

Putting her hands on her hips, Nancy asked, “Do you know how long I had my hair in pin curls for this look?”

George pointed to her short hair. “Do I look like I know?”

“Eight hours.”

“Yikes.” Deirdre put her tube of wine-colored lipstick in her makeup bag. “That’s _quite_ a long time.” She finished her look by putting a feather headband over her black bob. Noticing the lull in the room after her comment, Deirdre tried to lighten the tone she had set by adding, “You look great though, Drew. I think it was worth the effort.”

“Augh, wow!” Bess squealed as she rushed over to Deirdre. “You were born to be a flapper! Your hair? Your nails? I’m obsessed. Love your look.”

Deirdre, not expecting the sudden compliment, let out a little giggle while playing with her hair in the mirror.

“Now, quick! Into the living room!” Bess cried, running down the stairs. “We have to get some cute pics for Instagram!”

Making her way down the stairs with her pirate hat in hand, George smirked to herself and mumbled, “It’s almost like this is more exciting to you than the costume party.”

Once they had all gathered downstairs, Bess positioned the girls in what she insisted on calling a “squad pose.” George and Nancy were a little clueless when it came to the whole selfie-taking thing, but Bess and Deirdre seemed to be seasoned pros. 

“Okay ladies, say cheese!” Bess shouted a little too loudly next to George’s ear before taking the picture.

After the fake shutter noise and a picture-- or ten or twenty-- Nancy let go of her smile and relaxed her face. She wasn’t used to smiling that long. Neither was George, apparently, who was dramatically massaging her jaw. 

Deirdre tugged on one of her pearl earrings and asked, “So, when are we meeting Frank and Joe there?”

“Ooh, that’s right!” Bess checked her phone. “In about twenty minutes. We should get going soon.”

George sighed. “If we’re late they’ll probably wonder why we took so long, and then we’ll have to explain why we took just about a million pictures for Instagram.”

“I only took five!”

“No, you did not.”

After a moment, Bess crossed her arms. “You have a point, though. I wonder what the boys are doing right now.”

George shook her head. “They better not be tearing up my guest rooms.”

* * *

Frank had just gotten done tying his bow tie when he heard a drum roll coming from the other side of the wall.

“Are you ready… to see… the best costume you’ve ever laid eyes on?” Joe peeked his head into Frank’s room.

Raising his eyebrows, he said, “Hmm. I have a feeling that even if I said no, you’d show me anyway.”

“Oh come on. Just get hyped. I’m expecting a dramatic reaction from you.”

Frank chuckled. “Okay. I’ll try my best.”

Like a wound-up energizer bunny, Joe jumped through the door frame of the guestroom. Before Frank could even turn around, he managed to get a glimpse of Joe’s costume in the mirror.

“Oh… Oh my God. Joe. No.”

“Oh, but _Frank_ ,” he responded maniacally. “ _Yes._ ”

Joe smirked at his brother’s blank expression. Even after all these years, he still had the art of confusing Frank down to a science.

“Is that… a slice of cheese?” He asked, pointing at the yellow square Joe waved around like a flag of victory.

“Okay, yes, but you have to think about the costume as a _whole_. Can you guess what I am? Bet you can’t figure it out!”

“Of course I can. Uh. okay. Let’s see.” 

He took a few moments to take in his brother’s costume. Joe was wearing a pair of lederhosen, along with a Bavarian alpine hat, and in his cheese-less hand, he had a small, wooden bucket of prepackaged individual slices of American cheese.

After a deep sigh, Frank said, “Buddy, you gotta help me out here.”

“I present to you...” Joe paused for an annoyingly long amount of time. “A _cheese_ Burgermeister! Do you get it?! I am dressed like a Burgermeister-- peep my cool hat by the way-- but I also carry around _cheese_! Bask in the glory of the human cheeseburger.” He dabbed.

Frank laughed, rolled his eyes, and sat on the corner of his bed to tie his dress shoes.

“So… who exactly are you again?” Joe asked, squinting at Frank’s bow tie, dress shirt, and tweed vest convo.

“I’m Dr. Henry Jones Jr.!” Frank adjusted his fake glasses, raising an eyebrow at himself in the mirror.

“You mean to tell me that you _could_ have dressed up fully as Indiana Jones, but you _chose_ to dress up as his professor persona?”

“I was gonna go for a mix, actually. I _did_ buy a hat and a whip, but it just felt like too much. You think I should use them, then?”

“Well, right now you look like my physics teacher. So yeah probably, if you’re really trying to sell it.”

Frank went to the closet and shoved the hat and whip into his leather messenger bag. Once they were both ready, they made their way to Frank’s old truck and hopped in. The stereo was broken, so the car ride was pretty quiet.

“So...” Joe finally started with an inquisitive tone. “Are you gonna--”

Before Joe could even finish, Frank cut through his words with an exasperated sigh.

“No, Joe. I’m just gonna lay low tonight. Go with the flow.”

“Go with the flow? Your version of flow is as graceful as white water rafting.”

* * *

The girls had been in the parking lot of the venue for about five minutes when the Hardy Boys pulled up in Frank’s truck, Joe waving at them from the passenger seat. Bess waved back and said, “Joe told me that his costume is the ‘best thing since sliced bread’. I wonder what it is!”

“Fun fact,” George piped up. “Betty White was actually born before sliced bread was invented. So technically, sliced bread is the best thing since Betty White.”

Nancy saw Bess’s eyes widen as Joe stepped out of the truck wearing a pair of lederhosen and carrying a bucket.

“Joe,” Bess started, walking toward Joe and holding back a laugh. “What are you wearing?”

Holding the bucket out and exposing the cheese inside, he struck a power pose and said, “I’m a cheese Burgermeister!”

George instantly started cackling, clutching her stomach and doubling over. After catching a few breaths, she gasped out, “That… Is the best and worst thing ever!”

“Why thank you, Miss Fayne!” Joe bowed, still holding the bucket out and sporting a huge smile. “Take from my bucket the treasures you wish.”

Still snickering, George took a plastic-covered slice of cheese and just looked at it for a few moments. After regaining composure, she looked to Joe and nodded. “You are an icon.”

Frank hopped out of the other side of the truck and lifted the messenger bag strap over his head so it could rest at his side. Nancy walked over to him to say hello. “Nice costume! Who are you dressed up as?”

“Indiana Jones!” He said, with an unexpected amount of childlike enthusiasm. “Well, Dr. Henry Jones Jr., technically. I have the hat and whip in here, though.” He smiled and patted his messenger bag.

“Ooh, great choice.” Nancy tipped her own hat a little and said, “It suits you very well. Can I see you with the hat on?”

Frank shyly smiled and twisted to his side to grab the hat out of his bag. He ran his fingers through his hair before putting it on. Nancy giggled when she noticed the hat was still a little misshapen from being shoved in the bag. She instinctively stood on her tiptoes and adjusted it, her unexpected help making Frank feel a bit flustered. 

To cut the silence, Frank tried to continue the conversation. “Uh, let me guess who you are. Shot in the dark here, but are you Ilsa Lund?”

Nancy gave Frank a surprised look. “Wow, yeah! How did you guess so quickly?”

Frank shrugged. Before he could say anything, Joe tackled him from behind and shouted, “Maybe it’s because he’s a NERD!”

Nancy always loved seeing the Hardy boys goof off together. Frank started laughing while trying to rattle Joe off of him. Without him noticing, Joe managed to slip a slice of cheese into his pocket before jumping off his back. Joe threw Nancy a wink, which she understood to be their pact of secrecy. 

“Okay, everyone! Are you ready for the tour?” Bess interrupted the shenanigans, eager to share the results of the party she helped the townspeople plan for months. 

Nancy, still laughing about the secret cheese pocket, turned toward the venue and waited for Bess to lead the way. 

* * *

“And here is the haunted house!” Bess announced, swooshing her dress toward the large structure made from pipes and tarps and hay bales. “I guarantee you will be scared at least once because the trial audiences were quite frightened.”

“Sweet.” Commented Joe, looking up at the light-up sign that said _Enter If You Dare._

Nancy took in the sights and sounds as Bess led them to the grange hall, where the main party was taking place. From outside, she could hear lively jazz music and party chatter. There were strings of purple and orange lights leading from the lamp posts in front to the entrance of the hall. Jack o’ lanterns lined the walkway, bits of hay and faux harvest decorations were strewn in between. It had a spooky, yet homey feel. 

With an enthusiastic grin, Bess led them all through the archway and into the grange hall, where there was swing dancing, a jazz band, and a table of snacks and desserts.

“Welcome to the main attraction!”

“Wow, Bess, you really put a lot of thought into this,” George remarked, in awe of the party decorations. “It’s beautiful.”

The moment that George spoke, Nancy could see Bess light up like a firecracker. “Ugh, I’m so glad you love it,” Bess chirped. “I spent so many hours trying to get the right vibe, you know? It took forever to get the venue to approve of the fog machine, too. It was an absolute must, so I was not ready to give up on it without a fight.”

Piping up, Joe added, “Any machine can be a fog machine if you break it enough.”

“Joe.” Frank elbowed his brother in the ribs. “No one let him touch that popcorn machine over there.”

“I mean, Joe does have a point,” said Deirdre, crossing her arms matter-of-factly.

Nancy looked past her friends and studied the other guests entering the venue. The annual Halloween party was a highly anticipated event in River Heights; kids and adults alike eagerly walked into the party for a night of fun with friends and family. Nancy giggled when she saw a toddler dressed up as Baby Yoda waddling toward Frank. 

Frank, focused on the jazz band, didn’t notice the little boy until he felt something bump up against his leg. When he looked down at him, Nancy could see Frank’s face light up. 

“Woah, I like your costume buddy,” Frank said as he bent down and gave him a fist bump. “You look great! I was considering a Star Wars costume myself.”

After returning a beaming smile up at Frank, the boy waved at him and Nancy and wandered back to his dad who was sitting a couple of tables down, dressed as the Mandalorian.

“Star Wars costume, eh?” Nancy asked, smirking up at him. “Would it happen to be Han Solo by any chance?”

Frank shrugged and added in a sarcastic tone, “Maybe.”

“Are you two just gonna stand there?” Deirdre called out to them, already having migrated to the dance floor with Bess and Joe. “Come dance with us at least! Don’t be boring!”

Nancy pulled Frank by the arm toward the dance floor. Of course, Nancy was a natural at dancing. She had learned how to swing dance for an undercover case a couple of years ago, and it came to her quite easily at the time. She was surprised, though, by how well Frank could dance. He seemed to be really enjoying himself, stepping perfectly in time with the rhythm. It made her smile to see this carefree side of him.

After the jazz band finished their last piece, “Rattlin’ Bones”, Joe nonchalantly walked over and onto the small stage, leaned on the piano, and handed the pianist a slice of cheese.

“A Kraft single for a single piece of great music?”

The woman looked at the slice of cheese, then back at him. “No, thank you.”

After a small groan, he took a twenty-dollar bill from the pocket of his lederhosen and slid it across the piano. She took it, put it in her binder, and asked, “What do you want us to play?”

“‘Spooky Scary Skeletons’. A jazz version.”

She gave him a smile and said, “Well, you’re in luck. That was actually one of our arrangements a few years back. We weren’t going to play it this year, but I guess since you requested it, we’ll give it a go.”

“Great!” He said, hopping off the stage. “Thank you!” As the pianist told the rest of the band what song they were to play next, Joe proudly walked back to Bess and George to explain that he, in fact, had requested this next song.

The moment the band played the first few notes to “Spooky Scary Skeletons”, the entire mood of the party shifted. More families got up from their seats and moved to the dance floor. And in the center of it all, in the middle of the dance floor, was Joe, having the time of his life. Through the growing crowd of people, Nancy could see Joe dancing his heart out. He even convinced all of the kids to form a conga line around him.

Nancy walked toward the edge of the dance floor to watch all of the kids-- and Joe-- bounce around in their costumes. She burst into laughter when she realized that Joe was passing out cheese to everyone around him. 

Frank too had stepped onto the sidelines, slightly overwhelmed by all of the sudden commotion. He poked Nancy in the shoulder to get her attention. 

“Hey Nance, I think I’m gonna go get some air. I’ll see you in a bit, okay?”

Nancy looked at him and smiled. “Actually, do you mind if I come with you? I could use a quick break from all of the… enthusiastic children.” She chuckled.

Frank nodded and they headed back through the archway entrance. Past the haunted house and the other outdoor activities, there were a couple of benches under a streetlight just before the parking lot. Nancy noticed this spot first and walked over to it, waiting for Frank to follow. They both sat down and watched families carve pumpkins and bob for apples near the entrance.

“Guess I should have stopped Joe from eating all that candy before we came, huh.” Frank laughed, rolling his eyes after having witnessed all of Joe’s antics on the dance floor. 

Nancy chucked. “It seems like the kids are enjoying his energy, though, so I would say that everything is the way it’s supposed to be.”

“I guess you’re right.”

A few moments of peaceful silence passed. Frank looked up at the stars; it was a pretty clear night that night.

“By the way, I didn’t know you could dance like that, Hardy!” Nancy nudged Frank on the shoulder.

“Haha, yeah. My parents made me take dance lessons as a kid. Turns out it was a lot of fun. And I guess you never forget how to swing dance. You were pretty good out there too, you know.”

Another moment of pause. 

“I’m glad you went with Ilsa Lund for a costume. She’s such a classic character,” Frank started. “I’ve seen that movie quite a few times, actually.”

“Oh yeah? Do you have a favorite part?”

Frank cleared his throat to recite his favorite line. “‘Here’s to lookin’ at you, kid.’”

“Ooh, classic! Great choice.”

“That scene is one of the most iconic scenes in film history.”

“I don’t disagree with you.”

They both cracked a smile. So far, Frank was the only person at the party who knew what her costume was, aside from a few senior citizens. 

“Hey, uh… I need to tell you something,” Nancy started. 

“Yeah?” Frank responded. Immediately after she spoke, Nancy noticed Frank’s cheeks turning red. Perhaps it was just from the cold.

“I was sworn to secrecy, so don’t tell Joe I told you, but I think it’s important that you know you have a slice of cheese in your pocket.”

* * *

Joe was practically vibrating with excitement after successfully herding all of his friends toward the haunted house about an hour later. Standing beside him, Bess looked a tad bit nervous, but she still held herself with confidence.

“Well, guys,” she said, gesturing toward the archway under the foreboding sign. “This is the only part of the party I didn’t really do that much work on.”

“Ooh, nice!” Said George, crossing her arms. “Looks menacing and fun.”

Nancy smiled a little to herself when Bess let out a nervous giggle. 

“Yeah. I’m not too big on haunted houses.”

“I can tell.”

A group of young middle schoolers pushed past them and into the structure, their giggling soon fading away into the darkness.

“And they were never seen again…” Said Joe in an overdramatic voice. 

“Oh, please!” Stepping in front of them, Deirdre crossed her arms. “Are we just gonna stare at it or go inside? A group of literal children went in before us and they seem to be doing fine! It’s not even scary. It’s just a fake little charade that’s supposed to make us mildly uncomfortable, alright?”

“Um, no,” corrected Bess, stepping up to Deirdre. “The people in charge said it’s supposed to ‘scare the living daylights out of you.’ Those words exactly.”

For a few moments, Deirdre stood there, arms crossed, waiting for the group to get it together. The only person who didn’t really want to go was Bess, who seemed to be searching for any excuse to escape. Nancy noticed that Frank had a mischievous smile, looking past the group and surveying what he could see inside the tent. He always loved the thrill of an adventure. She never took him as a haunted house type, though, since he was known to be a skeptic and didn’t scare easily. Joe, however, who was a rampant believer and self-proclaimed ghost hunter, was practically jumping out of his skin. 

“Guys, I’m with Deirdre!” He said, darting forward. “I’m going in!”

And with that, he passed the two guards at the entrance, who told them not to touch any of the actors. The group was then directed into the dark hallway.

Joe led the crew, Bess close beside him. Nancy stuck to Frank as they went inside, and they stayed toward the back of the group. 

The hallway was not only dark, but it was oddly silent. Nancy could barely see anything and was surprised that she no longer heard the children laughing and playing outside. The walls were covered in some sort of pitch-black fabric, blocking out any light. Nancy could have sworn she saw hands reaching from the fabric, but she couldn’t be sure. 

“Ouch!” Cried Deirdre. “Who stepped on my toe?”

“Sorry!” Bess whispered, wincing.

Eventually, they came to a door. There were small tea lights around the base of the door and a fake torch by the handle. As he put his hand on the door handle, Joe turned around to the others.

“So… Should I open it--”

“Yes! Just open it! God!” Said Deirdre. “Stop trying to make it so dramatic. It’s already dramatic enough!”

He shrugged. “Aw, but it’s really fun being this dramatic!”

Groaning, George said, “Guys. Just open the door.”

With a swift shove, he pushed the door into the room. A dim, orange light came out, covering the glow of dark shoe prints on the floor behind them. They all followed Joe, their fearless leader, inside to investigate.

There were floating candles throughout the room. Nancy assumed that they were hanging from transparent fishing lines. Cobwebs lined the corners of the room. In the far right corner, however, sat a girl in a little dress and Victorian pinafore, hair ratted with chunks missing. Nancy could have sworn she whispered something.

“I’m sorry, what?” Asked Deirdre, leaning into the girl.

“Don’t let them take your soul,” she repeated in a quiet, monotone voice. 

“Pardon?” Asked Frank, who still couldn’t hear.

In a single moment, she craned her head up and looked at them with black eyes and blood dripping from them.

“ _Don’t let them take your soul!_ ”

Bess shrieked and grabbed onto Joe’s arm, burying her face behind his shoulder. Frank tried to find a way to escape the room but quickly realized that there wasn’t a door in sight. When they turned around to go back, another girl was standing there, the same hair but blonde, with the same black eyes.

Both girls were repeating the phrase over and over as Bess grew noticeably panicky. Tapping her fingers on her arm, Nancy wondered to herself where a door might be, and in a moment it came to her.

“Guys, it’s over here,” she said as she led them to the fake fireplace. As expected, the inside was just an entrance to another tunnel.

Ducking her head, making sure that the low ceiling didn’t catch her curls, she led the way through the tunnel. They were enveloped in darkness until they arrived at a door at the end. A bright light was shining through the keyhole.

They neared the door, all inching forward quietly. Joe started to hum some “background action music”, but Deirdre and Frank shushed him when it got too loud. When they were about five feet from the door, Nancy heard talking from inside.

“Oh, have the guests arrived?” Asked a man in a nasally English accent. “Good, good. Send them in, Mr. Bradford.”

Before they had a chance to touch the door, it was opened for them by a tall man in a crisp tuxedo. He gave them a curious smile as he watched them pass into the room. In the center was a long table set with wine glasses and a candelabra. At the end of the table was a man in an elaborate tailcoat, sitting relaxed in his chair.

“Greetings, friends.” With a mere flick of his wrist, the rest of the candles on the table lit up. It was a neat trick, Nancy had to admit. She bet that Frank knew how it worked.

“I suppose you didn’t get my invitation, seeing the attire you are wearing,” he said, pointing at each of them. “Now sit.”

Almost at once, the butler herded them to their seats, Nancy deliberately sitting closest to the strange man so she could study him.

Next, the butler brought out a silver covered platter. With a mischievous crooked smile, the dinner host looked at all of them, unfolding his napkin and resting it on his lap.

“Now, have you ever been in a position where you’ve been in a stranger’s house in the middle of nowhere?” He paused to motion to the butler, who quickly walked over and filled his cup with a thick red liquid. “At night, with no inkling of who might be out there?”

Nancy felt like she should have said, _Actually, yes, I have_ , but she thought that might ruin the atmosphere.

“It’s quite strange,” the man said after taking a sip of the drink which Nancy assumed to be fake blood. “And yet… It’s exactly the reason I became who I am today.”

As the butler took the cover off the platter, they all reacted with various levels of disgust. Bess looked like she was about to vomit, but Frank only looked mildly unsettled. In the center of the plate was a brain. Anatomically correct, too. Nancy had to admit, it was pretty gross and realistic. 

“Would any of you care for a drink?” He said, cutting off a piece of the brain. “I quite recommend it.”

“Ew, what is it?” Asked Deirdre, looking at the pitcher the butler was using.

“I guess you could say it was a gift from my last guests.”

With that, Bess stood up, grabbing Joe and George’s hands.

“Uh-uh, nope, we’re leaving,” she said, pulling her friends closer to her. “Thank you and goodbye!”

“Fine.” He said, waving his hand again, and two candles near another door were lit. “Go and be on your way, before I decide to have dessert.”

Within moments, Bess had shoved them all into the next hallway, hands shaking and eyes wide. When they reached the next hallway, the door was slammed behind them, startling them as they went through the darkness. The way in front of them was so covered by fog that they could hardly see. Luckily, there was a handrail to guide them to the next area. 

Bess stayed close to Nancy, nervously chuckling.

“Okay, I think I should have stayed outside…”

“No! This is fun,” insisted Joe, giving her an affectionate side hug. “Don’t worry, it’s all fake.”

“Yeah, but the emotional trauma isn’t!”

George snickered at that.

Near the front of the group, Deirdre suddenly shrieked.

“What’s going on?” Asked Bess, frantically looking every which way for danger.

“Someone tried to grab my hand!”

Immediately, they all took their hands off of the railing. Well, except for Frank, who didn’t seem to care about that. He leaned forward and whispered to Nancy, “Don’t worry, they can’t actually touch you in here. It’s against the rules.”

Even though she could barely see in the dark, she turned back to him and whispered, “Do you think Bess knows that?”

He shrugged. “She probably does, but doesn’t really comprehend it with all this stuff going on.”

As if on cue, there was another squeal from Bess. This time it was more out of disgust.

“Oh, God, there’s bugs!”

“They’re fake.”

“I know, George, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that they’re _there_!”

The next hall was full of twists and turns, with one wild display after another. There was a squirming body wrapped in plastic and duct tape, a pair of girls crying and telling them their friends were all dead, and then a large spider that made George very uncomfortable.

After rounding a corner, Nancy noticed an exit sign above a door. Bess noticed it soon after, letting out a loud sigh of relief. The words _“Hope you Enjoyed The Spooks, River Heights!”_ were painted on the floor in front of the door. Just as they approached the exit, a black curtain fell to cover it.

“Oh, come _on_!” Bess shrieked.

Frank stood completely still until he heard a grave whisper right by his ear.

“Frank… leaving so soon?”

He jumped forward with a loud shriek, falling onto Nancy. The lights turned on and the curtain was lifted, and Nancy started cackling. Frank had been calm and collected up until the very last minute. She pushed him back onto his feet. 

“What’s that again about all this being fake?” Nancy said to Frank, still chuckling.

“Ugh, God. Joe must have given them my name beforehand,” Frank said, massaging his temples, brushing himself off, and straightening his fake glasses. Joe threw him a wink.

* * *

Bess was more than happy to lead them out of the haunted house. “Let’s… do something wholesome now. Something cute. Including happy children,” She nervously giggled as she gestured toward the pumpkin carving table. George shrugged, straightened her pirate hat, and dragged Joe by the cheese bucket to follow Bess, who was already on the move. 

Nancy turned to Frank. “I think I’m gonna go back to the bench and people-watch.”

“Mind if I join you again?”

“Scared to be alone after being spooked back there, huh?”

“No. Why would I be-”

“Frank, I’m kidding,” Nancy giggled. “Come on, let’s go.”

They made their way back to their people-watching bench under the lamp post. They had quite an entertaining show to watch in the distance, too; Joe and George were working together to carve-- more like demolish-- a pumpkin. George _tried_ to be meticulous with her work at first; Nancy could see her trying to plan out their design with Sharpie. Joe, on the other hand, patted her on the shoulder, smiled, and stabbed into the pumpkin with gusto. Poor pumpkin. Nancy turned toward Frank and they both laughed at the dynamic duo of pumpkin carvers. 

“Did you have a good time tonight?” Frank started.

“Yeah! I actually had a lot of fun. Bess did a great job with the party.”

“Yeah. She did.”

Frank looked down at the ground.

“Getting sleepy?”

Frank grabbed the bridge of his nose. “Just a bit.” 

They sat together under the dim light, relieved to be just far enough away from all the commotion. Amidst the distant chatter, they could still hear the jazz music playing inside the grange hall. The band had just started to play an instrumental version of “It Had To Be You”. Frank immediately started to hum the melody. Nancy tried to hold back a huge grin as she looked out toward the people, assuming that Frank probably didn’t even realize he was quietly singing.

“Sorry to interrupt,” Nancy whispered, “but you have a great voice.”

Frank’s eyes widened and he immediately paused his accidental serenade. He took his hat off and awkwardly held it in his lap.

“Oh gosh. I didn’t even realize. It’s one of my favorite songs.”

After a few minutes of awkward silence between the two, an upbeat swing dancing song came on. 

“Huh, how ironic. This is _my_ favorite song!” Nancy said with a sudden burst of energy. Frank turned to her and smiled. She stood up and held out her hands.

“One more dance for the night?” She said, with a sneaking smile.

Frank looked to the side and set his hat down on the bench. He smirked. “Sure, Nance.”

He grabbed her hands and she pulled him up. They started to dance together, next to the lamp post and on the edge of the quiet parking lot. The faster they danced, the more Frank started to loosen up again, his smile beaming every time Nancy met his eyes. 

The song was nearing its grand finale. Frank, to Nancy’s surprise, artfully spun her about his hand and finished the song by dramatically dipping her. As the music died down a bit, Nancy looked up at him with bright eyes, the two of them chuckling and slightly out of breath. She had never seen him smile so big.

Frank pulled her back up toward him. Even to her own surprise, Nancy took off her hat, leaned close to hug him, and rested her head on his chest. When she left his arms, there was a moment of pause. Neither one of them felt awkward, which was definitely unusual. They looked at each other, still hand in hand, smiling. Frank leaned forward again and gave her a nervous kiss on the cheek.

As a new, calmer song began to play, they both sat back down. Nancy gently held onto Frank’s arm as they watched some families leave the venue. After a contented sigh, Nancy rested her head on Frank’s shoulder as they listened together to “Moonlight Serenade”. 

* * *

It was late when they decided to call it a night. Nancy had grown very tired, especially after all the dancing and spooks. She could feel her eyelids getting heavier every minute.

“Nice pumpkin,” Frank commented as Joe put his finished jack o’ lantern in the back seat of Frank’s truck. 

Joe’s face lit up. Even though it certainly wasn’t a masterpiece and Nancy couldn’t tell what exactly it was, it looked cool. 

“Thanks!” Said the younger brother. “We were going for a traditional look-- or should I say, _George_ was-- but we messed up and went for a more abstract art vibe.”

After a beat, Joe sighed and then handed Nancy his bucket. “Here,” he said, pushing it in front of him. “Take it. I’m gifting you the last slice of cheese.”

With a chuckle, she took the bucket and looked down at the bottom, where a single slice of individually wrapped cheese laid, all alone.

“Oh, bucket,” she said with a dreamy sigh. “You always know what to bring me.”

Next to George, Bess asked, “Could we go get something to eat? I’m starving.”

“What?” George gave her a questioning look. “You ate, like, three Rice Krispies Treats in there.”

“Yeah, well, getting your wits scared out of you burns a lot of calories and really makes you hungry!”

After checking her phone and putting it back into her 1920s themed purse, Deirdre said, “Well, Pancake City is still open, if you want to go there.”

“Oh, yes please!” Bess wrapped her boa around her shoulders since it was getting cold out.

“I think I’ll head back, actually,” said Nancy, slipping her hands into her coat pockets. “I’m a little tired and I don’t want to pass out at Pancake City.”

“I’m probably gonna do that, to be honest,” Bess told her, giving a small giggle. 

After shortly clearing his throat, Frank turned to Nancy and asked, “Do you need someone to drive you home? I’d be happy to help.”

She looked up at him and smiled. “You know, yeah, that would be a good idea. Don’t want me to fall asleep at the wheel, don’t we?”

“No, we do not.”

“Can I take the truck then?” Asked Joe.

“No,” came the curt answer.

Deirdre walked over to Nancy and held out her hand. “I can take your car, Drew. And don’t worry, I’m a very responsible driver.”

Taking her house key from the keyring, Nancy said, “Alright. Thank you, Deirdre.”

“Don’t mention it,” she said as she took Nancy’s keys and followed the others to Nancy’s car.

“Well?” Asked Nancy, hugging herself from the cold. “Are we going to go now?”

Frank blinked and realized he had spaced out a little, which he often did when he was tired. “Right!” He opened up his messenger bag and took out his keys. “Let’s get out of here.”

They were pretty quiet on the ride back to Nancy’s house. She was tired and, obviously, so was he. And Frank wasn’t much of a party person. The whole event, while fun, had quickly worn him out.

He pulled into the Drew driveway, put the truck in park, and leaned back. Nancy glanced at him and asked, “Did you have a good time tonight?”

Sighing, he said, “Yeah. I did.”

“Good.” She took a few moments before opening the door and stepping down from the truck. Frank followed her to the door of the house, putting his hat back on to maybe keep a little warmer from the cold. 

They reached the porch, and Nancy hesitated for a moment before taking out her key for the door and unlocking it.

“Well,” she said, looking down. “I guess this is goodnight.” As she sighed, she could see her breath in the crisp cold air.

“Yeah, guess it is.” Frank gave her a small smile, just as sweet as usual. 

Nancy opened the door, but before going inside, she went back to Frank and grabbed his chilly hands, giving him a soft quick kiss.

“Thanks, Frank, for the car ride and the dancing. I had a wonderful time.”

“Yeah, me too,” he said, a little flustered. “I mean, you’re welcome.”

“You should probably go check in on Joe at Pancake City.” She gave a little laugh. “I’m not sure if the employees there are used to people high on sugar having a little Halloween midnight feast.”

“Yeah, I should probably head over there to make sure he didn’t cause too much chaos.”

And with a grin, she gave his hand a squeeze before stepping inside. She slowly closed her door as she gave him one last look.

“Goodnight, Frank.”

“Goodnight, Nancy.”

**Author's Note:**

> Rae (Doughnut_Holschtein): Hey! Alyssa and I worked very hard on this and it is like our child. We have raised it through hardship and sickness and we were incredibly sleep-deprived during most of the writing sessions. Hope you liked it!
> 
> Alyssa (ladylindaaa): P.S. Ned was at college during this lol  
> and not dating nancy  
> we dont stan cheaters
> 
> https://papenniesandbentoboxes.tumblr.com/  
> https://ladylindaaa.tumblr.com/


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